District News – 24 May 2022

This Week's News

Save the date – September Synod

It seems appropriate on Aldersgate Day to remind you to put the date for the September 2022 Synod in your diary – 10 September at the High Street Centre, Rawmarsh.
Our theme will be Nurturing Disciples and more information will follow over the next few months, including how to register!

SONGS OF PRAISE Saturday May 28th @ Central

Songs of Praise (Chesterfield-style) is back, Saturday May 28th at 7pm (finish no later than 8.30pm) at Central Methodist Church, led by Rev Paul King, Chair of Christians Together for Chesterfield.
Hear stories and sing favourite hymns and songs. To include testimony and stories from Colin Morgan, Don Nichols, Sue Walker, John Gascoyne and James Dickinson.
Bring friends from other churches or from no church.

Everyday Sacrament

Leeds Sanctuary are delighted to announce the release of their book, "Everyday Sacrament" – a collection of meditations and images written and curated by a local artist. The meditations were originally commissioned in response to the Covid19 pandemic, and still provide an opportunity to reflect creatively and spiritually on the last two years. It would make a beautiful resource for personal prayer time or a small group. Learn more and buy your copy here

Living with Sigh Loss in Church

It's already May and the sight loss friendly church team has been busy holding Tasters, Training sessions and creating new content. We thank you so much for your continued support as we're striving for churches across the UK to become sight loss friendly. So far this year 40 churches have signed up to become sight loss friendly, but our vision is to reach all 50,000 churches in the UK. Your help is vital so that blind and partially sighted people can be fully included in their church community. Watch our brand new insightful video where blind and partially sighted people talk about the joys and challenges of church life to get an understanding of how much your support can make a difference. https://youtu.be/cXDBiM_A_J0
Tasters are held on the following dates:

• Thursday 26 May 11AM
• Monday 6 June 7PM
• Monday 13 June 2PM
• Wednesday 22 June 2PM
• Monday 4 July 2PM
• Thursday 14 July 2PM

To book your place, go to https://torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church/taster/

District Officers' News

District Safeguarding Update

Message from Kate Little from the Connexional Safeguarding Team:

I am organising another Safeguarding webinar, this one on Monday 13 June from 11am – 12:30pm, on the subject of Financial Abuse and how the church can help to be vigilant and watch out for vulnerable people. The webinar will be hosted by Tim Carter and speakers will include the Deputy CEO of Hourglass (formerly known as Action on Elder Abuse), the former Public Guardian for Scotland speaking about mental capacity and how capacity issues can increase someone's likelihood to be financially abused, Surviving Economic Abuse about how domestic abuse can affect a victim's finances and Daphne Franks whose mother fell victim to a predatory marriage, plus others to be confirmed.

Please could anyone interested in attending email me on littlek@methodistchurch.org.uk and I will email them the link to register for the webinar? The webinar will be recorded and put up on our website, so if anyone is interested but unable to attend at that date and time, please email me and I will send them the link to our website once it is available.

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns please give me a call on 07483 362 735 or email me at safeguarding@sheffieldmethodist.org

Many thanks
Alison Hill -District Safeguarding Officer.

New DLT Members Wanted

If you watched or attended the Spring Synod, you would have heard McCauley Allcock tell his story about become a member of the District Leading Team, and how valuable he has found the experience.
We are seeking two more Lay members to join the team. Full details can be found here: District Leading Team

Events

MHA Sunday

Please join us for MHA Sunday – 12 June 2022 to give thanks and fundraise for our specialist care and support services at MHA which continue to bring hope and support to people in later life. For further information please follow this web link:

https://www.mha.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/mha-sunday/ or contact the Area Support Chaplain on Sibylle.Nothhelfer-Batten@mha.org.uk

Sharing Stories to Bring Wellbeing

17th June 2022, 10am--1pm

People make meaning and find connection through stories. We also find wellbeing through relationship and play. In this interactive webinar we will offer ideas of multi-sensory approaches and techniques that make sharing stories accessible to people living with dementia. We will consider ways of building community and using stories as a springboard for creativity.

Download a poster with more information : Sharing Stories

To book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sharing-stories-to-bring-wellbeing-tickets-265060201197?aff=ebdssbeac

Circuit Steward Training

Are you new to circuit stewarding or preparing for the role?

Join the Learning Network for 4 weekly training sessions on the roles, responsibilities of serving in this area of leadership.

Each session will offer opportunities to explore ideas and share experiences, as well as identify areas for further action, ongoing learning & development needs in these areas:

• 14th June – Calling and Role of the Circuit Steward
• 21st June – Distinctively Methodist
• 28th June – Positive Working Together
• 5th July – Continuing to learn

Visit www.bit.ly/circuitstewardtraining to book in or find out more.

Sheffield Folk Chorale

Date: 24/06/22 19:30
Location: Stephen Hill Methodist Church 457 Manchester Road Sheffield S10 5PL

Description: Raising funds for RNLI at Filey and Sheffield Young Carers. Minimum donation £6.
Tickets from Bob Hodges 2303207.... email ginaandbobh@hotmail.com. ..... or call into Stephen Hill Methodist Church on a Monday morning.

Job Vacancies and Volunteer Opportunities

Operations Assistant

Salary: £20,000 p.a. pro rata
Hours: 18.5 hours per week (based on FTE 37.5 hours)
Term: Fixed term for 12 months
Place of work: An office base is provided at The Terminus Initiative upper rooms, Lowedges.

The Terminus Initiative delivers the People Keeping Well programme in Beachief & Greenhill ward under contract to Sheffield City Council. This addresses health inequalities in selected areas of the city by engaging communities in the planning and delivery of interventions to improve health and wellbeing.

The role of the Operations Assistant is to support the work of the Health living centre and the wider Terminus team by providing administration and operational support. This post is funded through Sheffield City Council's People Keeping Well Programme.

For an application pack please contact Joy Arnott (Health Improvement Manager) joy@terminusinitiative.org

Deadline for application is 5pm on Monday 6th June. Please send applications to admin@terminusinitiative.org

Interviews will be held in person on Friday 17th June

Social Action Mapping Researcher

with the Urban Theology Union for Sheffield Diocese Project

UTU has been asked to undertake a mapping and case study exercise of the social action engagement of Anglican churches by the Sheffield Diocese.

This will provide a snapshot of what impact Covid has had on social action in the Diocese and some more in-depth understanding of what social action activities churches are now engaged in, so that parishes can be supported and encouraged to engage in such action, perhaps in new ways, and so that the Diocesan Board of Faith and Justice and Church leaders can give a strategic steer to this work.

Does this sound like an interesting project to you? If so, UTU is seeking a volunteer field-researcher, based in South Yorkshire, who can work from home, or possibly the UTU Office, central Sheffield on Mondays and Tuesdays, and also come into the Sheffield Diocesan Office in Rotherham. The researcher will need experience of social science or similar research, ideally through MA level or equivalent education, and an understanding of how local Christian churches work.

Initial induction and then monthly supervision will be provided by UTU, and expenses for travel and phone calls will be paid.

Phase 1 to report in August 2022 is mapping from analysis of the relevant sections of both the Mission Action Plans submitted by local churches to the Diocese, and of their replies to the annual Archdeacons' Articles of Enquiry.

Phase 2 will start in September '22 and is the setting up and undertaking of a limited number of more in-depth evaluative case studies of churches where no social action seems to be happening, and those pieces of work the Sub-Group is most interested in knowing more about.

People interested in undertaking this research should return the form (you may also send a CV to cover sections 1- 3) to joe.forde@tiscali.co.uk by 9.00am, Monday, 13 June 2022 in the first instance. Interviews will be on Monday, 20 June 2022.

https://utusheffield.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/UTU-Social-Researcher-ApplicationForm2022.pdf

And finally ....

Congratulations to Doncaster on their award of City status as one of the eight towns to be given the title as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.